You may need to ask permission to use the bathroom on an airplane as the world recovers from the COVID-19 crisis. My Future of Travel blog also looks at when various Caribbean countries may open again for visitors and checks out improving booking numbers for several major airlines. I also have a roundup of improvements for Aeroplan rewards members.
AIRLINES: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME
“Excuse me, Mrs. Smith, but can I please use the bathroom?”
I had to say that a lot in Grade Two/Second Grade as a kid, but I never thought we’d have to do that in the sky. Yet, here we are, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and there’s talk that we might soon have to seek permission to pee at 36,000 feet (the idea being to avoid having folks packed together in the aisles waiting for the loo).
A story in the Wall Street Journal the other day said that “a new age of air travel is taking shape.
Airports and airlines are rolling out temperature checks for crew and, increasingly, passengers, as well as thermal scans to spot people with elevated body temperatures. Face masks are now de rigueur for travelers across the U.S. Passengers on Europe’s biggest budget carrier must raise their hands to use the toilet.”
The CBC has a related item that talks about a number of factors, including the challenges of physical/social distancing at an airport. One expert said it takes about 350 meters just to accommodate the security screenine line for one wide-body aircraft if you practice social distancing.
The story also talked about various technologies for cleaning planes and even booths that airports of the future might have that would spray disinfectant on arriving or departing passengers.
Ah, the romance of travel.
G ADVENTURES CANCELS THROUGH JULY 31
Due to the continuing Covid-19 global pandemic, G Adventures has taken the necessary decision to further suspend all tours departing up to and including July 31, 2020. In addition, G Adventures will also be suspending all G Expedition departures up to and including August 31, 2020. The health and safety of our travellers and staff is our main priority and this is an essential measure to protect our travellers and our people at this time.
All travellers booked and fully paid on a tour departing up to July 31, 2020 will receive a 110% travel credit on all booked tour services, including pre- and post-night accommodation and transfers, to be used on any tour departing up to two years from the end of the month of their tour’s suspension. Travellers who haven’t yet made their final payment will have their Lifetime Deposit kept on file to put towards a future tour.
With the exception of G Expedition departures between August 01 – 31, 2020, we are not suspending tours beyond July 31 as we wish to keep the door open in the event the current situation evolves in a way that enables us to travel again. However, we do understand people may feel uncertain about travelling in the upcoming months, so we are offering travellers booked on tours departing up to September 30, 2020 the option to transfer their booking to a future departure date for the same price. Alternatively, they can pay in full and receive a 110% travel credit for a future tour.
To help travellers feel confident to rebook using their travel credit, lifetime deposit or to make a new booking, G Adventures is offering a Book with Confidence policy, which allows any bookings made up to 30 June 2020 flexible cancellation and rebooking options. Travellers who have booked trips before this time and departing before December 31, 2020 will be able to cancel and rebook their trip up to 14 days prior to departure. Trips booked within this time and departing between January 01 and June 30, 2021 can be cancelled and rebooked 30 days prior to departure. *
G Adventures is notifying all travellers regarding tour suspensions and advising travellers with flight bookings to contact their insurance / air providers for details on compensation.
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES OPENING DATES
The view from Shirley Heights on Antigua. JIM BYERS PHOTO
My colleagues at TravelPulse in the U.S. have a fine roundup in today’s edition that looks at potential opening dates for tourism across the Caribbean. Here’s a taste of what they had to say.
Antigua and Barbuda: First flight arrives June 4 from Miami
Bahamas: Likely July 1
Grenada: Some time in June
Cuba: July 7 or so
Saint Lucia (as I mentioned the other day): June 4
Cancun and the Riviera Maya in Mexico: early June
Jamaica: No date yet
Dominican Republic: No date yet
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES SUSPENDS SERVICE AGAIN
More bad news for the cruise industry today. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, today announced an extension of its previously announced suspension of global cruise voyages to include voyages embarking between July 1 and July 31, 2020 for its three cruise brands. The voyage suspension contributes to global efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Company will continue to work in tandem with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal government and global public health authorities to take all necessary precautions to ensure the health, safety and security of guests, crew and the communities visited.
Guests who are currently booked on voyages with embarkation dates between July 1 and July 31, 2020 on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises are asked to contact their travel agent or the cruise line for more information.
AIR CANADA, U.S. AIRLINES ON THE REBOUND?
Air Canada plane.
It was only a snippet, but I saw today where Reuters is quoting a senior Air Canada person as saying bookings are on the upswing. I didn’t see any figures attached, but I did spy a Bloomberg item today that says U.S. airlines are seeing reasonably significant upticks in bookings.
Southwest said bookings for June are showing a “modest improvement,” while United said it is seeing a “moderate” strengthening in the U.S. and on some international routes.
Southwest said it expects to average 25 to 30% occupancy on its planes this month, up from about eight per cent in April. The airline is talking about a load factor for May of 35 to 45%, which is quite a significant change.
It certainly shows that Americans are travelling more than Canadians right now. As restrictions ease in provinces such as British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island, it will be interesting to see what kind of path Canadian airlines take on the road to recovery.
YANKEE STADIUM TURNING INTO A DRIVE-IN?
A baseball game at Yankee Stadium. JIM BYERS PHOTO
According to Time Out, Uptown Drive-In, a festival featuring movies, music, and even car side dinner service, is coming to the iconic stadium in New York City starting on weekends this summer, set to take place in the parking lot of Yankee Stadium.
It sounds like a great way to use empty space around major stadiums in North America, as well as around suburban convention and meeting centres near airports.
MORE AEROPLAN IMPROVEMENTS
Air Canada is making significant changes to Aeroplan.
As part of their ongoing efforts to engage members while they’re at home and give them new ways to earn miles, we’ve launched our next offers as part of their Travel at Home campaign, which enables members to reach Altitude status without leaving the ground. There are some great offers when shopping via their eStore:
- From May 19 – 26, earn 7X the miles when you shop at Clearly and Clinique via the Aeroplan eStore. Visit www.aeroplan.com/estore for more details.
Don’t forget, that until May 31, earn 5 extra miles per $1 spent for purchases via the Aeroplan eStore when using your TD Aeroplan® credit card, CIBC® Aeroplan® credit card or American Express® AeroplanPlus® Card. These bonus miles are in addition to the miles you regularly earn for using your card at checkout.
New this week:
Get rewarded for staying at home:
Rewards aren’t just for the good times. They are even more important during these times. Now until August 15th, TD Aeroplan cardholders can earn double the Aeroplan Miles on select online food and grocery deliveries. This offer has already been applied to member’s credit cards, so next time they order some food and groceries online – they’ll reap the rewards.
TD cardholders will earn 2x the Aeroplan Miles when they order food and grocery deliveries from:
Cartly, Chanmao Inc., Chefs Plate, Cook it, Cornershop, CultivatR, DoorDash, GOcery, GoJava, Goodfood, Grocery Gateway, HelloFresh, INABUGGY, Instacart, Just Eat, metro.ca online grocery, MissFresh, Mister Produce, PC Express, Save-On-Foods Online, SkipTheDishes, SPUD.ca, The Grocery Link, The Organic Box, and Uber Eats.
DONATE YOUR MILES TO GIVE A MILE:
Give A Mile is a charity enabling family members impacted by the COVID‑19 crisis to visit terminally ill friends & family. Aeroplan proudly joins members in matching all donations made until May 25th up to 500,000 miles to help reunite these families.
Each week, they’ll have new offers for members to be able to earn at home. Visit: www.aeroplan.com/travelathome to learn more.
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Definitely things are going to change dramatically around the world, especially in the travel industry. Air travel will have to make dramatic changes and for the most part, probably good. Cleaner air, better cleanliness, more space, etc. I would definitely pay more to travel in comfort in Economy, instead of being squished in tighter and tighter. We’ll have to wait and see!
Thanks for the note. Sounds pretty sensible to me, Robert.